MERSEYSIDE Police Authority members visited Southport College to talk to 150 students from across Sefton about policing issues affecting young people.

A spokesman said: “This is just one of a range of events that the Police Authority holds across Merseyside throughout the year. We hold an event in every policing neighbourhood, with forums coming up in Southport Town Centre, Southport North East and Formby, Ainsdale and Birkdale in the next few months.”

Police authority members work closely with Merseyside Police and other Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships, as well as organisations such as the Home Office and the Association of Chief Police Officers at a national level, to tell them what local communities want from policing and members can only do this after getting the views of the public.

Merseyside Police Authority Chair, Cllr Bill Weightman, said: “Police authorities are dedicated to gathering and understanding the views of communities and we carry out a wide range of consultations to find out what they think.”